Fig 2: Induction of K19 expression in the hair follicles by BCE. Skin from rats was stained with anti-K19 antibodies (red signals). Nuclei were visualized using 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (blue). As a negative control, nonimmune ?-globulin was used instead of the antibody. *Autofluorescence from the hair shaft. Scale bar = 100 µm.

Fig 3: Images of circulating cancer stem-like cells stained with CD133. (A) CD133-positive pancreatic cancer Capan-1 cells were captured and stained with DAPI (blue), CK19 (green) and CD133 (red). A number of cells were CD133 positive (scale bar, 50 µm). (B) Representative images of the captured circulating tumor cells stained with DAPI, CK19 and CD133 in a sample obtained from patient 7 (scale bar, 50 µm). (C) The number of CD133-positive cells in the blood did not change significantly before and after SEMS placement. In seven cases (patients 7–13), CD133-positive cells were determined around stenting. The number of CD133-positive cells did not change significantly in response to stenting. SEMS, self-expandable stents; Pre, before SEMS placement; POD1 and POD4, 24 h and 4 days after SEMS placement, respectively; n.s., no significance.

Fig 4: Synergy between Kras and HER2NT activation in organoids for tumorigenesis. (A) Representative images and diameters of organoid cultures from each mouse: Ptfa-Cre1;HER2NT (PH), Ptf1a-Cre;Kras (PK), or Ptf1a-Cre;Kras;HER2NT (PKH). (B) Subcutaneous tumor sections from nude mice. H & E staining and immunohistochemical staining of CK19 and HER2 in PK and PKH tumors (upper panel). Immunohistochemical staining of phosphorylated ERK and cyclin D1 in PKH tumors (lower panel). (C) Size and number of cysts in subcutaneous tumor sections (n = 3 per strain). (D) Immunoblot analysis of phosphorylated ERK, ERK, and ß-actin in organoids.

Fig 5: The enhanced EMT occurred in HSCs from DDC-induced Sptbn1+/-mice.A, QRT-PCR. mRNA levels of Cdh1, Tjp1, and Cldn1 were decreased, whereas Snail1, Snail2, Vim, Cdh2, and Twist1 and the tumor marker Afp were increased in HSCs from DDC-treated Sptbn1+/- mice. B, Western blot. Protein levels of CDH1/E-cadherin were decreased, whereas SNAIL2, VIM/Vimentin, CDH2/N-cadherin, and AFP were increased. Data is representative of 3 independent experiments. Significance of the difference was evaluated using the Student t test (*P < .05; **P < .01 vs WT). C, Immunofluorescence staining. EPCAM/CK19 and VIM/CK19 double-stained cells were increased in the livers of DDC-treated Sptbn1+/- mice, and the arrow indicates double-stained cells. White bars represent 50 µm.